Wyoming has issued an executive order to support development of artificial intelligence (AI) data centres and advanced computing facilities.

On June 3, blockchain outlet Cointelegraph reported that Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon (마크 고든) signed an order laying out an executive framework for developing large-scale data centres and advanced computing projects.

The order is titled "Data Centers the Wyoming Way". The Wyoming administration directed state agencies to follow consistent standards in permitting, review, regulation, support and facilitation for large data centre development. The executive order specifies that it applies to executive agencies involved in permitting, review, regulation, support or facilitation related to large data centre development in Wyoming.

A key point is that it links investment attraction with local protections. Wyoming said it would accept large data centres and advanced computing facilities while setting out principles focused on water use, environmental sustainability, workforce development and protections for residential electricity consumers. It means the state will manage residents' power-bill burdens and resource-use issues together as power demand needed to expand AI infrastructure grows rapidly.

The move also aligns with the White House's AI drive. A day after U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order to promote advanced AI technology for national security purposes, Wyoming also unveiled a state-level implementation framework. It means the state government has moved directly into competition to attract infrastructure in line with the federal AI policy stance.

AI infrastructure investment in the United States is also growing rapidly. Microsoft, Amazon, Meta Platforms and Alphabet are expected to invest more than $650 billion this year alone in AI and data centre infrastructure. A significant portion of that funding is expected to be used to expand market share in the enterprise cloud market and to build out infrastructure for training and operating large language models.

Wyoming's move is also linked to its existing industrial base. The state has pursued a strategy to attract technology investment by emphasising energy resources and pro-business policies. In the cryptocurrency industry, it has established itself as a base for bitcoin mining. CleanSpark expanded its footprint in Wyoming in 2024 by acquiring a mining facility tied to 75 megawatts (MW) of power capacity.

Against that backdrop, miners' efforts to diversify are also drawing attention. After the 2024 bitcoin halving increased pressure on mining profits, some companies have shifted their focus toward AI and high-performance computing services. IREN, MARA Holdings, Cipher Digital, Hut 8, Hive Digital and TeraWulf have expanded opportunities in AI and data centre hosting beyond bitcoin mining.

Markets are also starting to view the trend as a separate investment theme. Bernstein analysts recently began coverage of TeraWulf and Cipher and described it as part of tracking "emerging AI infrastructure". Wyoming's new executive order is focused on laying the institutional groundwork for mining-centric regions to expand into hubs for AI computing infrastructure in line with that industry shift.

The points to watch will be the scale of actual data centre investment attracted and how the state's power, water and environmental standards are applied in project execution. Wyoming has allowed the expansion of AI infrastructure while putting protections for residential electricity consumers and sustainability at the forefront, and it made clear its direction of supporting data centre development responsibly.